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Transcript/ScriptUS-Russia-UKRAINE
HEADLINE: Biden Defiant, Cites ‘Moral Outrage’ as Reason for Putin Comments
TEASER: ‘I'm not walking anything back,’ Biden says about his words, which many interpreted as a call for Russian president's ouster
PUBLISHED AT: 03/28/2022 at 9:41p
BYLINE: Anita Powell
CONTRIBUTOR: -
DATELINE: the White House
VIDEOGRAPHER: AP
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, Reifenrath SR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, ZOOM (WITH LICENSE)
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:06
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[U.S. President Joe Biden's whirlwind diplomatic tour of Europe might be most remembered by his words about Russian President Vladimir Putin: “This man cannot remain in power." Two days after his utterance, Biden clarified that although he won't back down from the sentiment, the U.S. did not plan to take Putin out of office. VOA’s Anita Powell reports, from the White House, on what this means as this Ukraine conflict enters a second month. ]]
((NARRATOR))
After three days of lengthy meetings and delicate negotiations, firm agreements and fervent promises, it all came down to nine words about Russian President Vladimir Putin:
((President Joe Biden)) ((MANDATORY CG: March 26))
“For God's sake. This man cannot remain in power."
((NARRATOR))
Back in Washington on Monday, Biden defiantly defended his words — but clarified his intent.
((SOT, English, AP-4373159))
((President Joe Biden))
“I'm not walking anything back. The fact of the matter is I was expressing the moral outrage I felt toward the way Putin is dealing and the actions of this man, which is just brutality, half the children in Ukraine. I had just come from being with those families. And so but I want to make it clear, I wasn't then nor am I now articulating a policy change. I was expressing the moral outrage that I feel, and I make no apologies for it.”
((NARRATOR))
But analysts say this is dangerous talk for American diplomacy.
((Radio: Andrew Lohsen, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, via Zoom.))
((Andrew Lohsen, Center for Strategic and International Studies)) ((Zoom))
“This is really confirming some of the worst suspicions of what the United States really wants in global affairs. I think in terms of the reactions from other countries around the world, it’s certainly — the comment was unwelcome. We certainly saw reaction from other European partners clarifying that the United States should not and cannot be using this kind of escalatory language. And so I think, unfortunately, the comment is one that is going to reverberate still for a number of days and weeks.”
((NARRATOR))
Biden, who said he was moved by Ukrainian refugees he met in Poland, stressed that he was not threatening Putin with regime change.
((SOT, English, AP-4373159))
((President Joe Biden))
"I just, it was expressing my outrage, he shouldn't remain in power. Just like, you know, bad people shouldn't continue to do bad things. But it doesn't mean we're having a fundamental policy to do anything to take Putin down in any way."
((NARRATOR))
American Enterprise Institute analyst Leon Aron, a keen follower of the Kremlin, says Putin is likely to shrug off such talk – for now.
((Leon Aron, American Enterprise Institute)) ((Zoom))
“Putin is a big boy. Remember, he had been called a murderer, and then they smiled at each other and shook hands. So I believe that in the long run, I don't think it's going to hamper anything. Now, to say that he'll forget it — no, of course he won't. He will not forget it. And he will definitely try to get back at Biden, in one way or another, whether rhetorically or, you know, in some sort of policy action. But for now, you know, it's not a disaster.”
((NARRATOR))
Aron says Putin is unlikely to change course in this brutal conflict, now entering its second month. On Monday, Russian state television aired what it said was the inside of a theater destroyed by a Russian bombing on March 16 in the southern city of Mariupol.
Civilians sheltering there said they had tied a white flag to the top of the building and painted the word "CHILDREN" in large white letters on the ground, visible from the air.
Ukrainian officials estimate that about 300 people were killed in that strike.
Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)The White House
Embargo DateMarch 28, 2022 22:57 EDT
BylineAnita Powell, VOA News, the White House
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
